Pirates fall short in exhibition finale

Starling Marte hits grand slam for Bucs

Pirates starter James McDonald was tagged for four runs and three hits in the first inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates lost to their Double-A Altoona affiliate 8-6 in their final exhibition game Saturday.

Starling Marte hit a grand slam in the second that tied the score at 4. Russell Martin also had two hits for Pittsburgh.

McDonald left in the second, but all the damage was done in the first after the Curve sent nine batters to the plate. The right-hander gave up three walks, a wild pitch and a two-run double just inside the right-field line by Carlos Paulino.

It wasn't the outing that the Pirates' No. 3 starter was looking for heading into the season after struggling in the second half of 2012.

The exhibition at People's Natural Gas field, the first between the Pirates and Curve, took place before a stadium-record crowd of 10,116,

Several former members of the Curve now play for the Pirates including second baseman Neil Walker, all-star outfielder Andrew McCutchen and starting pitcher Jeff Locke.

Before the game the Curve, the Pirates double-A minor league affiliate since 1999, extended its partnership with the Bucs through the 2018 season. The Curve also announced it would host the 2014 Eastern League All-Star game.

The Pirates will have a public workout Sunday afternoon at PNC Park before Monday afternoon's home opener against the Chicago Cubs.